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11-Year-Old Interviews Obama, Becomes His Homeboy

An 11-year-old student-journalist fulfilled his dream to interview President Barack Obama yesterday, speaking to the president about education, bullying, and basketball.

Damon Weaver from Canal Point Elementary School in Pahokee, Fla., is making waves across the country with his interview, in which he and the president eventually become “homeboys.”

Brian Zimmerman, Damon's broadcasting teacher, received an e-mail earlier this week inviting Weaver, his mother, and Zimmerman to the White House on Thursday for the interview.

In the interview, Damon asks what can be done to improve schools with little funding, and inquires what can be done to make school lunches more delicious. He suggests a diet of French fries and mangoes.

Weaver had been trying to land an interview with the president since he covered the inauguration for his elementary school’s TV station. He interviewed Vice President Joe Biden on the election trail last year and gained national prominence for his work. Since then, Weaver has interviewed Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade, director Spike Lee, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and Oprah.

President Obama plans on using footage from the interview as part of an education program that will be broadcast to schools around the nation next month.

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